Вилорп

→"I can't believe I'm going to talk to the dolphins," I mutter. Again."

→I can feel the tiredness and thazis affecting me as we clamber over the black rocks. Makri goes nimbly from rock to rock but I'm not as agile as I used to be, and I have to take care not to plunge into one of the icy pools. We finally make it to the edge of the beach.

→"You do it," says Makri. "I can't make apologies. It never comes out right."

→"I don't know."

→"You think we have to apologise for making her cry?"

→Makri looks troubled.

→"She always goes to the dolphins when she's upset."

→Makri nods.

→"I expect he'll charge the Orcs more. Are you sure Dandelion will be here?"

→"It's not that reassuring that a small bribe gets us through the gate," says Makri, as we clamber over the rocks.

→By this time we've reached one of the small gates in the wall. It leads through to the rocks outside the harbour. From there you can walk over to the beach. At a time of national crisis it's illegal for the gatekeeper to let anyone through, but the man on duty is a long-time resident of Twelve Seas, a man I've known all my life. I slip him a small coin and he lets us through the gate. He leers as we pass, probably imagining I'm off for some fun with a wench.

→"Habit, I suppose. You know what Twelve Seas is like. Full of leeches."

→I'm stuck for an explanation.

→"No. Why would she? She doesn't want her bodyguard walking around intoxicated. And you might have let me try that special beer as well. What's the matter that you're so mean about everything?"

→"Doesn't she give you a supply of your own? For being her bodyguard?"

→"You might have let me try some of the thazis Lisutaris gave you," says Makri, accusingly.

→Makri takes out a thazis stick. She cups her hands carefully around a match as she lights it, preventing any sudden gust of wind from blowing it out. Matches are expensive items; it doesn't do to waste them. If I was any sort of Sorcerer I'd be able to light a thazis stick without a match. But I'm not and I can't. I take out a stick of my own and light it from Makri's.

→It's true. They did. And they gave me a handsome reward as well. Several valuable old coins, which I exchanged for a hefty purse of gurans. It was a good deal, though not one I ever talked about afterwards, not wishing the hardened inhabitants of Twelve Seas to know that I'd been accepting payment from dolphins. I'm still not convinced they can speak, though Dandelion claims she can communicate with them.

→"Maybe. But I want that money. I want to go to the university. Anyway, the dolphins once gave us a healing stone. Saved my life."

→Makri smiles.